Mobility management within a wireless communication network is typically implemented using a downlink-based mobility framework in which downlink reference signals are utilized by a user equipment (UE) to select a serving cell to which the UE connects. For example, a UE may receive synchronization signals and system information broadcast by one or more cells and select a serving cell based on the signal strength of the broadcast signals. Once connected to the network through the serving cell, the UE may continue to monitor signals from the serving cell as well as other neighboring cells. If the UE moves from one cell to another, or if the signal quality of a neighboring cell exceeds that of the serving cell for a given amount of time, the UE may undertake a handoff or handover from the serving cell to the neighboring (target) cell. The above-described downlink-based mobility framework places a significant processing burden on the UE to search for neighboring cells, measure the signal strength from neighboring cells and identify a target cell for handover, especially in dense networks with numerous small cells or in high mobility deployments, such as high speed trains.
In next generation (e.g., 5G) wireless communication networks, an uplink-based mobility framework may be available in which uplink reference signals may be utilized by the network to select a serving cell for a UE. The uplink-based mobility framework reduces the amount of processing performed by the UE, hence leading to UE power savings. However, since the UE may be unaware of the cell selection process and may only have knowledge of a zone that the UE is located in, the identity of the serving cell may not be known by the UE.